Thrust bearing



Dec. 30, 1930., A. E. FREEMAN THRUS'I' BEARING Filed Oct. 18, 1927 INVENTOR. fliflawel l/Lan/ BY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1930 ALBERT E. FREEMAN, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN TELE- PHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YGR-II THRUST BEARING Application filed October 18, 1927.

This invention relates to thrust bearings, and more particularly to bearings of the selflubricating type.

The pressures and speeds to which certain machinery is subjected causes the rapid wear of the thrust hearings or thrust washers which are used in connection with the shafts of such machinery. This wear results in the cutting, distortion and other deterioration of the bearings or thrust washers, and requires replacement thereof at frequent intervals.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a self-lubricating arrangement for thrust bearings, thrust washers, and the like, so that they obtain a maximum and positive supply of lubrication throughout their contacting surfaces a given number of times per revolution.

Referring to the drawing, in which like characters of reference designate like parts throughout, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shaft provided with a series of disk-like members associated therewith, and having grooves in mated position; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the grooves of the disk-like members in unmated position; Fig. 3 shows the disk-like members in separated relation on the shaft; F 4 illustrates a side elevation of one of the disk-like members; Fig. 5 is an end view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4 showing grooves on both sides of the disk-like member, and Fig. 6 is a similar view of a disk like member having grooves on only one side thereof.

'lhenumeral 5 in the drawing designates an ordinary shaft which extends through central openings of a series of disk-like members 6, 7 and 8. Although said members are illdl cated, in the present instance, for the purpose of illustration, as being three in number and of certain form, it will be understood that the number may be increased or diminished as desired. The member 6 may if desired, be aflixed to shaft 5. The member 6 may have grooves provided about its fiat surface The disk-like member 8 may be aflixed to the housing or other element receiving a thrust; and these members may be composed of steel. intermediate disk-like member may be Serial No. 226,906.

lo'sel associated with the shaft and may he composed of bronze or like material. This latter i'nember may have grooves on both of its flat surfaces, as shown in Fig. 5, or only on one surface, as indicated in Fig. 6. The grooves 9 in the several disk-like members are substantially V-shaped in plan View. The disk-like member '4", because of its loose association with the shaft, rotates at approxi mately half the speed of said shaft. The disk-like members are shown as being provided with four grooves 9 which are spaced at an equal distance from each other about the flat surfaces of the members. The grooves comprise beveled side portions with an intermediate depressed portion. The outer edges of the beveled portions lie in radial directions and said grooves extend from the peripheries of the members to the central openings through which the shaft 5 is placed. In practice, the number of grooves and the size of the depressions are governed by the severity of service in the way of pressure and speeds to which the disk-like members are to be subjected. The disks are adapted to be rotated in either direction by providing a beveled edge at both sides of the depressions. Thus the beveled edges on one side of the grooves cause a wedging action of the lubricant during the rotation of the shaft and disk-like members in a clockwise direction, and the beveled edges on the opposite sides of the grooves cause said wedging action during the contra-clockwise rotation of said shafts and disk-like members. The beveled portion causing the wedge-like action being in the rear of the groove with relation to its direction of rotation.

The intermediate disk-like member '7 which is loosely associated with the shaft 5 which rotates at half the speed thereof 7 causes its grooves to periodically mat with like grooves on the contiguous members 6 and 8, so that a channel is formed by the mated grooves. As the shaft and its mounted coinponents are positioned within a casing and immersed in oil in a customary manner, it will be apparent that when such channels are formed, the lubricant will enter them and be diflusedover the flat contacting surfaces heavy load conditions is reestablished upon the succeeding mating and formation oi channels by the grooves of the contiguous disks.

lV rat is claimed is:

l. The combination (ii a plurality of seltlubricating bearings-5 comprising a series of contacting disk-like members having flat surfaces with coinciding central apertures provided tor a shaft, plurality of we shaped grooves exteneiri r in spaced rel. from each other on the flat .surfaces 0" (llSl(-lllf0 members from their per pheries to their central apertures, said gioovescomgirising beveled side portions and an imermediate depressed portion. said dish-like members being mounted to rotate at relativeh different speeds to permit the periodic mat ing of the grooves of said members with the grooves of contiguous members whereby lubricant enters channels formed by the m: ing of said grooves, thus leestalslisl a new film oil oil on the fiat surfaces of tl disk-like members upon each succeeding m riodic mating of the two grooves. said. new film being: maintained by the wedg'ine; action of the lubricant on both sides of the contact-inc; surfaces of the disk-like members which counteracts the tendency of d'splacement of the lul'iricunt which might. be caused by the pressure exerted on the contacting surfaces oi the dish-like members.

2. A luhricatingg arrang ment for bearings comprising: a series of disk-like membc s provided with central. apertures for shaft and having flat suritaces. said shafts and di: likc members being adapted to rotate in a clockwise and contracloekwise direction, grooves of substantially V-shape having beveled edges with boum arv lines extending in a radial direction and being; provided on the flat surfaces and extending from the peripheries to the cent 'al apertures o ,iid mem-- bers certain of said dish-like in hers bei loosely associated with :nd rotating at lower spe d than said shaft the grooves in the loosely associated (llSlilllT-G members periodically uniting with the grooves of the con uous dislvliko members to term a chanf'jhe cntra a ot a lubriczi. t d luhrican: be' a ecu the. oi the contigu in. ilSlEmllI) the interval between. the per" said groows. thus reestablishlng a of oil on the flat surfaces of the members upon. each succeeding periodic inating of the grooves, said new film being maintained by the wedging action of the luhri cant on both sides of the contacting surfaces of the disk-like members.

In testimony Whereot I have signed inv name to this specification this 14th day of October 1927.

ALBERT 1D. FREEMAN. 

